#TOTD, 7 questions with @Theausieflashpacker

Hi lovelies!

It has been a while since there had been a new edition of the very popular #TOTD tag that I have started last year. Due to some changes on the website and layout there has been a slight delay in this, but we are back and kicking off the new #TOTD with a very beautiful and inspiring traveler.
Let me introduce you to Simone, a lovely 26 year old girlwith a big passion for traveling.

Short intro about the #TOTDHi! I’m Simone, I’m a 26 year old Aussie living in England! I’m from a beautiful town called Port Macquarie on the East Coast of Australia and miss it dearly, but love the travel opportunities that living in the UK provide! Together with my Pommie boyfriend Dan we share a love of all things travel and run The Aussie Flashpacker blog:Click here for her blog which documents our travels, adventures & photography.We’ve travelled to six continents around the world and without doubt our favourite thing to do is visit new places!

I love the quote… “I measure life by countries not years…”

I love photography and spend probably WAYYY too much time pouring over travel photos and accounts on Instagram, so I’d love if you follow my account which is: @theaussieflashpacker1- Where did you go for your first travel experience/holiday? My parents took us around a lot of the East Coast of Australia when we were young before we started travelling abroad. I was born in Port Macquarie but we moved inland when I was young for my dad’s job but we holidayed at the beach every year and this is one of my favourite photos of my and my two brothers at the Gold Coast. We are all water babies & love the beach, ocean & anything to do with the coastal lifestyle! I can thank my parents for taking us there every opportunity they got!

2- Which 5 items do you always bring on your travels
We mostly travel abroad so I always take my passport, my camera for photos, iPad to keep up to date with the blog, everyone at home & backing up photos & simple, natural make up as I like to keep it natural but also like to dress up pretty of a night & an empty water bottle to fill up all the time as I drink a lottttttt of water!

3- Where are you now and where will you go for your next trip? I’m currently in Ireland and it is my first visit here! I am absolutely loving this stunning country! Everywhere is so green, the people are so happy and friendly, the countryside is beautiful and there is history everywhere! (Dan is also happy with the amount of Beer haha)!We’re off to Cornwall in England in a few weeks time for some summer sunshine (hopefully) & beach time! We have a few Europe trips planned for the rest of the year and a trip back to Australia, but we’re also in the process of planning a big, exciting extended (potentially 6-12 month) adventure next year when my UK visa expires!

4- What is your dream destination and why? My bucket list is long and never ending but the last few years I have been lusting over and obsessing over the Maldives!They just look like heaven on earth and I cannot wait to stay in a luxury hut over the water! It’s on our list for the next 12 months so fingers crossed!

5- What is your favorite travel picture that you took and why/what is the story behind it?Hmmmm this is a tough one! I’d have to say it would be this photo at Machu Picchu! Hiking the Inca Trail was at the top of my bucket list for as long as I can remember and the feeling of finally making it to Machu Picchu was the most incredible feeling ever (even after not showering for five days straight)! Haha. The hike was so difficult at times and I really struggled with the altitude but my best friend Nina was so helpful and made sure I didn’t become a dead woman on the infamous Dead Womans Pass! It was such an accomplishment and truly an experience that went above and beyond expectations!

6- If you could take 3 celeb (singer/actor/writer/ ) travel buddies on your next trip, who would they be and why?Bear Gryls – he’s tough and a little bit crazy, but I know it would be a big adventure & he is always visiting stunning, rugged & beautiful remote destinations. I know he’d push us through any fears/phobias we had & that we’d certainly survive, always have something to eat (not sure how edible it’d be though) and learn a lot!Ed Sheeran – Dan & I both love his music, and at the end of the day it would be perfect to sit on the beach, in a bar or around a campfire and listen to his incredible voice as he sings a few songs for us!Emma Watson– that girl is an inspiration & has done so much since her Harry Potter days! I’m sure she’d lead us on an expedition to try and save the world!

7- Are you a backpacker (budget traveling) or a flash packer (luxury traveler)? And what was the best backpack/flashback accommodation where you have ever stayed?I’ve certainly had my days as a backpacker when I was younger, especially backpacking around South & North America for six months! Now Dan & I are certainly more flashpackers (as is the name of our blog ‘The Aussie Flashpacker’). We love fine dining, luxury hotels & exotic destinations and aim to bring you the best in luxury travel around the world. We still do travel with backpacks (so much easier), but you won’t often find us in hostels anymore. I loved backpacking, the people I met in hostels & had a lot of fun but we have outgrown that now.
That’s a tough question to choose our favourite luxury accommodation… We travelled through Italy last year (one of my favourite countries in the world) and explored the Amalfi Coast & beyond… We stayed at Mezzatore Resort & Spa on Ischia Island (lesser known than Capri but more beautiful) and fell in love with the Island and resort! It was absolute paradise & is on our list of places to go back to asap! You can read about it here:http://www.theaussieflashpacker.com/2014/12/luxury-hotel-review-mezzatore-resort.html